Liquid storing and dispensing device



May 2, 1967 J. F. KOPCZYNSKI LIQUID STORING AND DISPENSING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1966 w L Ill I I I l 1 i 3 a 0 A "I 2 g I. 2 w 4 9 7 E WMW W F v May 2, 1967 .J. F. KOPCZYNSKI LIQUID STORING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 18, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. J05" fopazyns'lh max DQ512777??? ATTORNEY:

May 2, 1967 J. F. KOPCZYNSKI LIQUID STORING AND DISPENSING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 18, 1966 INVENTOR. Jfii? jfiJpc'z'girsyz' ATTOWEK United States Patent 3,317,089 LIQUID STORING AND DISPENSING DEVICE John F. Kopczynski, 1671 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda, N.Y. 14120 Filed Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 538,141 17 Claims. (Cl. 222-183) This invention relates to devices useful for storing a liquid and dispensing it in increments, and more particularly to a device for storing a carbonated, chilled beverage and dispensing in increments while keeping it cooled.

Prior devices have been used for storing a cooled and carbonated beverage, and when the beverage is to be dispensed applying a charge of compressed gas to the container contents. One difliculty is that these pressure device use small capsules containing gas under relatively high pressure to store the gas in a small space and therefore require a suitable pressure reducing valve or pressure regulator to control and reduce the high pressure gas down to a low pressure of, say, approximately 10 pounds per square. Valves of this type are rather intricate in construction and they therefore become one of the most costly parts of the equipment.

a An object of this invention is to provide a device for storing a liquid and dispensing it in increments under gaseous charge in a simple and practical manner.

Another object is to provide a practical device for use with large containers of carbonated beverages in which the beverage is stored until ready for use, and then activated to enable dispensing of the beverage with additional carbonation, which when activated will maintain a more uniform control of the dispensing gas pressure until all of the beverage is discharged, which will aid in keeping the beverage chilled, which will have a minimum of sweating, which will be relatively simple, practical, compact and inexpensive, and which will be compact to fit easily in'refrigerators.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of two examples of this invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing: a

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan of the same;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the handle of the same and taken along line 33, FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 44 of FIG. 2; 8

FIG. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is another elevation, on a larger scale, of a portion of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 66 of FIG. 5; and

. FIG. 7 is a plan of the same on the scale of FIG. 5.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. l-4 the liquid to be stored and dispensed will be selected as a carbonated beverage such as beer and various soft drinks, but it can be used to store and dispense other liquids. It has its maximum usefulness in storing and dispensing carbonated beverages and particularly rela t-ively larger containers of beer. A container 10 of sheet material, such as of metal, has a rolled edge flange 11 at each end, where the end joins the side, and may be of several quarts capacity. Such containers are commonly filled with carbonated beer and have an aperture 12 in one end Wall 13 normally sealed by a removable closure. When one of such containers is to be used to dispense the beverage, it is placed in a shell 14 of elastomeric material which snugly fits the side of one of the containers. This shell has a closed chamber 15 surrounding it which acts as an inflatable bag around the container. This shell 14 is of flexible, elastic material of a thickness and stretch to serve as an elastic, inflatable bag.

A bridge bar or member 16 of flexible sheet material such as of spring metal, extends across the end wall 13 and has its ends downwardly flanged as hooks 17 and 18 that hook over the rolled edge of that end of the container. The bar has edge flanges 16a in a central area but not the end portions, so that the flanged ends may be sprung apart and the flanges 17 and 18 hooked over the rolled edges of the container and be detachably confined thereon. The shell 14 fits the container snugly between the rolled edge ends and the flanges 17 and 18 confine the shell against sliding on the container. The underface of the bar 16 has a plug 19 of elastomeric material which bridges and 'normally closes the aperture 12 in the end of the container. The bar is normally arcuate enough that when sprung over the end of a can it will press the plug 19 sungly against the end wall 13 and effect a seal thereon. Immediately above the plug 19 is a valve 20 with a delivery spout 21 leading therefrom beyond the edge of the container. A hollow handle 22 has arms 23 at one end which straddle the valve ends and are fixed or coupled to the rotatable valve element for operating it as the handle is moved from its normal position shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the dash line positions selectively. The valve element has its ends exposed at the ends of the valve casing so that the arms 23 abut against and are drivingly applied to the valve element. The handle has a cap 24 on its free end which may be threaded upon the base part 25 of the handle and a capsule 26 of compressed CO gas is removably fitted within the cap against a seat 27 on the base part. An elastic O-ring 28 is provided between the base part 25 and the open end of the cap 24 to seal the gas-chamber 29 in the cap. A piercing pin 30 is provided on the inner end of the cap in a position to puncture the end of the capsule and release gas from it into said chamber when the cap is screwed fully closed. A passage 31 in the base part of the handle opens at one end into the capsule chamber 29 and at its other end through a side of the base part. A flexible plastic tube 32 (FIG. 2) connects passage 31 with a passage 33( FIG. 4) in the plug 19 that passes through plug 19 with a branch passage 34 (FIGS. 1 and 4) that extends downwardly in the plug and opens outwardly through the face of the plug that bridges the container aperture 12. The passage 33 is also connected by a flexible tube 36 of plastic material to the inflatable chamber 15 of the shell 14. The chamber 29 of the cap is thus always in direct pressure connection with the interior of the container and the inflatable chamber 15. A passage 37 leads from the valve 20 to the exposed face of plug 19 and there is connected to a pipe 38 that extends through aperture 12 to the bottom of the can or container.

In the use of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4 a typical can or container 10 filled with a carbonated beverage such as beer is normally placed in a refrigerator until ready for use, its aperture 12 being closed by a removable seal or cap, as usual. When its contents are to be dispensed, it is placed in a shell 14 which snugly hugs the side of the can. The bridge member or bar 16 has its ends 17 and 18 sprung apart and snapped over the rolled edge at the end of the can. The normal seal for aperture 12 of the can is of course removed just before the bridge member is applied. When the bridge member 16 is applied its plug 19 A capsule 26 of.

and cause release of its gas into chamber 29 from which it flows at once into the container and into inflatable chamber 15, causing inflation of the shell or bag. This places the beverage in the container under continued gaseous pressure and the expansion of the gas from the capsule into the container and the shell chamber 15 cools the contents of the container, prevents sweating of the container exterior, and the reduced pressure will be stored in the elastic shell 14 at large volume and be used to expell the beverage and keep it carbonated for a longer time than has heretofore been possible. The inflatable bag acts as an accumulator or pressure reservoir.

When some of the beverage is to be dispensed, the handle (22, 24 and 25) is operated to the forward, dash line position in FIG. 1 where it connects the interior of can 10 through pipe 38 with the delivery spout 21. When this happens the gas pressure in container 10 will pass some of the beverage out through pipes 38 and 21. By moving the valve handle back to the right hand dash line position, the delivery is stopped and spout 21 is vented. Returning the handle to the full line position in FIG. 1 keeps the valve 20 closed. After the beverage has been completely dispensed, the bridge member 16 is removed, and then the shell 14 can be slid endwise from the container.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. -7, the container filled with a beverage is disposed within a shell 40 of elastomeric material, like shell 14, except that it has a bottom wall 41 which fits one end of the container. It has the inflatable, closed chamber 42 around it. A bridge member or bar 43 has end flanges 44 and 45 that snap snugly over an exposed rolled end of the container to hold the bridge member in position on the container end, as it is held on the rolled edge 11 of container 10 in FIGS. 14. The flange 44 has a lip 46 that is detachably received in an aperture 47 in a flexible flange 48 that extends upwardly from a side of the shell 40. The container 10 has an aperture 12 in one end wall that is normally closed by a removable seal as usual in beverage cans. The bridge 43 carries a head 50 with an elastic plug 51 on its lower face that, when the bridge member is sprung in place over the end of a can or container, will abut and bridge the aperture 12 and normally close it. A valve element 52 is rotatably mounted in the head 50 and its periphery is sealed by an elastic O-ring 53. A delivery spout 54 is an extension of one end of the valve element 52 and its passage 55 extends into the element 52 and terminates in a radial branch 56 that in one position of the valve element becomes aligned with a vent passage 57 in the housing of the valve element. A split ring 58 removably received in an annular groove at the opening of the cavity in which the movable valve element is mounted, overlaps the end of the valve element 52 and confines it rotatably and removably in the head 50. The head 50 has a port 59 with which the passage 56 becomes aligned in one of the valve positions, .and this port connects with one end of a pipe 60 that is carried by the head 50, extends through an opening 61 in the plug 51 and aperture 12 to approximately the opposite end of the container.

The capsule 62 of compressed CO gas is confined by removable cap 63 within a chamber 64 of the head 50. The flange of the cap is sealed to the head 50 by an elastic O-ring 64' and a puncturing pin 65 is provided in the closed end of the cap to engage and puncture the capsule when the cap is screwed down fully. The head 50 has a passage 66 which leads from the space around the capsule to the space or opening 61 in the head 50 so that the released gas may pass at once to the interior of the container through aperture 12. A flexible flat extension 67 leads from the top of the shell 40 along the top of the bridge 43 and has a slit 70 therein through which the bridge member extends, with the extension 67 connected to and forming a part of the plug 51. This extension has a passage 71 that connects at one end to the interior of the inflatable chamber 72 and at its other end to the passage 61 in the plug 51. The plug 51 is an integral part of the extension 67 and at its upper face it has an annular projection 73 that telescopes with an annu lar flange 74 of the underface of the head 50.

In the use of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-7, the filled beverage container 10 is placed in the inflatable shell 40, the capsule 62 of compressed gas placed in cap 63 but the cap not fully screwed down. The usual closure for aperture 12 of the container or can is removed and bridge member 43 applied or sprung across the can end as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The valve 52 is in vented position as shown. This can is kept cool until ready for use and then when its contents are to be dispensed, the cap 63 is screwed fully down to puncture the capsule 62. The gas so released from the capsule passes to the interior of the can and to the shell 40 where it inflates the latter. By holding a cup under spout 54 and turning the spout, it will cause rotation of valve element 52 to connect the delivery passage 55 with the pipe 60 and through it to the container. The gas pressure on the contents of the container beverage will force some of the beverage out through pipe 60 and spout 54. To cut 011 the delivery the operator rotates the spout again to disconnect passage 56 from pipe 60 and align it with vent 57, The gas pressure will remain more uniform throughout all of the delivery of the beverage and the expanded gas will aid in keeping the beverage cool. It will act as an accumulator or pressure reservoir, and makes unnecessary the use of pressure regulators that are a part of prior devices.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated, in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for storing a beverage and dispensing it in a gaseously charged condition in increments, which comprises:

(a) a container of sheet material in which the beverage is stored and from which it is to be served in increments and having a filling and dispensing aperture in an end wall thereof,

(b) a bridge bar extending across said end wall with its free ends flanged and snugly but detachably hooked over the flanges at opposite edges of one end of the container and thereby detachably coupled to the end of the can, said bar having a closure plug detachably fitting and normally closing said aperture,

(0) a valve on said bar having a movable valve element, also a discharge conduit leading exteriorly and a filling tube leading therefrom through said closure plug to approximately the opposite end of said container, movement of said element connecting and disconnecting said conduit and tube,

(d) a hollow handle coupled to said valve element for operating it and having therein a closed chamber with means for mounting therein a renewable source of compressed gas,

(e) means connecting said closed chamber with the aperture in said container through said plug, and

(f) an inflatable shell of elastomeric material encircling said container and continuously connected through said plug with said aperture.

2. A device for storing a liquid and dispensing it in increments, which comprises:

(a) a container of sheet material in which the liquid may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments and having a filling and dispensing aperture in an end wall thereof,

(b) a bridge bar extending across said end wall with its free ends flanged and snugly but detachably hooked over the flanges of the container at opposite sides thereof, and forming a unit with the container,

said bar having a closure plug on its underface which fits and closes said aperture when the bar is coupled to the container,

(c) a dispensing valve on said bar with a discharge conduit connected to said container through said apertu're, and an operating handle for said valve with a closed chamber therein,

(d) said chamber having means therein to detachably mount a capsule of compressed gas and operable to puncture the .casing when use of the gas is desired,

(e) an inflatable shell of elastomeric material encircling said container and connected to said aperture through said plug,

(f) said handle chamber being connected to said aperture and said shell for supplying any released gas to said container and to said shell.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein said shell is continuously connected to said aperture and said handle chamber. 4. A device for use with containers of sheet materials with rolled edges at an end, in which a liquid may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments from an aperture in' an end Wall under gaseous pressure which comprises:

(a) a bridge member of a size and shape to extend across said end wall of a container, with its free ends flanged and formed to snugly but detachably hook over the rolled edges of the container at opposite sides thereof, and forming a unit with the-container,

(b) said member having a closure plug which fits and closes the container aperture, has a dispensing pipe that extends approximately to the opposite end of the container,

' '(c) a valve element carried by said head and controlling said outflow through said pipe,

((1) a handle connected to and operating said valve and having therein a closed chamber formed to detachably mount therein a casing of compressed gas and operable to puncture said casing when release of the gas is desired, and

(e) aninflatable shell of elastomeric material for coupling to said container and with its interior connected to said handle chamber and to'said container through said closure plug and aperture.

5. A device for use with containers in which a beverage may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments at intervals through an aperture in an end wall and under gaseous pressure, which comprises:

(a) a bridge member detachably coupled across an 'apertured end wall of a container and having a closure plug that tits and normally closes said aperture,

(b) a shell of elastomeric material having an inflatable chamber abutting and secured to a side wall of the said container to which the said member is coupled,

(c) a valve on said member with an operating handle therefor,

(d) said member having a discharge conduit leaving said valve and a pipe from said valve through said plug to approximately the opposite end of the container,

(e) said shell having a conduit connection from its inflatable chamber to said aperture through said plug, and

(if) said valve handle having means to mount a round of compressed gas and deliver it through said ring and aperture to the interior of a container and to said inflatable chamber.

6. A device for use with containers in which a beverage may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments at intervals through an aperture in an end wall and under gaseous pressure, which comprises:

(a) a bridge member detachably coupled across an apertured end wall of a container and having a 6 closure plug that fits and normally closes said aperture,

(b) a shell of elastomeric material having an inflatable chamber abutting and secured to a side wall of the said container to which the said member is coupled.

(c) a valve on said member with an operating handle therefor,

(d) said member having a discharge conduit leaving said valve and a pipe from said valve through said plug to approximately the opposite end of the container,

(c) said shell having a conduit connection from its inflatable chamber to said aperture through said plug, and

(f) means carried by said member and handle for selectively supplying compressed gas to said chamber.

7. A device for use with containers in which a beverage may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments at intervals through an aperture in an end wall of said container, which comprises:

(a) an inflatable bag of elastomeric material of a size and shape to snugly but detachably encircle one of said containers and function as a unit with it when both deflated and inflated,

(b) a bridge member formed at its ends for detachable connection across said end wall of one of said filled containers,

(0) means carried by said member normally closing said aperture, but selectively operable to deliver compressed gas to the interior of such container and to inflate said bag, and

(-d) means on said member for dispensing the beverage from such a container in desired increments.

'8. A device for use with containers in which a beverage may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments at intervals through an aperture in an end wall of said container, which comprises:

(a) an inflatable bag of elastomeric material of a size and shape to snugly but detachably encircle one of said containers and function as a unit with it when both deflate-d and inflated,

(b) a bridge member formed at its ends for detachable connection across said end wall of one of said filled containers,

(c) means carried by said member normally closing said aperture, but selectively operable to deliver compressed gas to the interior of such container and to inflate said bag, and

(d) valve controlled means on said member for selectively dispensing beverage from said container through said aperture.

9. A device for use with containers in which a beverage may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments at intervals through an aperture in an end wall of said container, which comprises:

(a) a shell of elastomeric material of a size and shape to snugly but detachably encircle the periphery of a container, and having an inflatable chamber,

(b) a bridge member formed at its ends for detachable connection across said end wall of a container on which said shell may be placed,

(0) said member having means engageable with said end wall at said aperture for connecting a source of gas under pressure to said chamber and to the interior of a container on which said member is secured, and for maintaining the interior of said container under gaseous pressure and for dispensing said beverage from said container in selected increments.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said shell encircles the side of a container and covers the bottom of the container.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein said means on said member includes a closed gas chamber connected to said shell chamber and to said aperture of a container held in said shell, with means in said closed gas chamber for selectively opeing it for the escape of gas,

and also includes a valve controlled dispensing conduit connected continuously to said container through said aperture.

12. A device 'for use with containers in which a beverage :may be stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments at intervals through an aperture in an end wall of the container, which comprises:

(a) a shell of elastomeric material which may be attached to one of said containers and having an inflatahle chamber,

(b) a bridge member formed for attachment to an end of said container to which said shell is attached, and having a plug engageable with an end of a container to which it is applied for closing said aperture,

(c) a valve on said member having an operating handle,

((1) a delivery spout connected to said valve, an inflow pipe extending from said valve through said plug into a container to approximately the opposite end of said container, and

(e) a source of compressed gas carried by said member and connected to said inflatable chamber and to the interior of a container through said plug whereby when activated it inflates said inflatable chamber and places the contents of a container under gas pressure. I

13. The device according to claim 12 wherein said source of compressed gas is a casing of the same removably confined in said handle and said plug has a conduit leading from said handle to said plug and aperture.

14. A device for use with containers in which a beverage is stored and from which it may be dispensed in increments through an aperture in an end Wall of the container, which comprises:

(a) an inflatable shell of a size and shape to receive and hold one of said containers,

(b) bridge means of a size and shape to be detachably clamped across an end of a container in said shell and having a plug bridging said aperture and normally closing it,

(c) a valve on said member with a delivery spout connected to said aperture through said plug,

((1) a pipe extending from said valve through said 8 'plug and aperture to approximately the opposite end of' said container, and

(e) means on said member for selectively supplying a gas under pressure to said shell to inflate it and to said container through said plug.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein said means on said member is when actuated is continuously connected to said container and to said shell.

16. The device according to claim 14 wherein said means on said member includes a hollow handle with a closed chamber on said valve and having means to mount removably therein a casing of compressed gas, and pipes connecting said closed chamber to said shell and to said aperture.

17. A beverage storing and dispensing device, which comprises:

(a) a container of the beverage having annular abutment edges at the ends, and a normally closed aperture in an end wall,

(*b) a shell of elastomeric material encircling said container, and having an external inflatable pocket,

(c) a member detachably coupled to said container across said end wall and having a portion normally bridging and closing said aperture after the aperture is opened, and

(d) means carried by said member for supplying a compressed gas to said container and to said pocket, and for delivering said beverage in selected increments under said gas pressure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,927 4/ 19421 Noth. 2,805,561 9/1957 Emmert et al. 22 2-131 2,812,116 11/1957 Newman 22-2-183 3,039,661 6/1962 Wentz et a1. 222-4007 X 3,065,886 11/1962 Smalley 222--400.7 3,083,883 4/ 1963 Glidden 222-567 3,197,144 7/1965 Kochner 222399 X 3,205,678 9/ 1965 Stoner 2209 X r 3,229,478 1/1966 Alonso 222r146 X 3,254,803 6/ 1966 Meshberg 22 2-183 X RAPHAEL M. LUPU, Primary Examiner. 

9. A DEVICE FOR USE WITH CONTAINERS IN WHICH A BEVERAGE MAY BE STORED AND FROM WHICH IT MAY BE DISPENSED IN INCREMENTS AT INTERVALS THROUGH AN APERTURE IN AN END WALL OF SAID CONTAINER, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A SHELL OF ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL OF A SIZE AND SHAPE TO SNUGLY BUT DETACHABLY ENCIRCLE THE PERIPHERY OF A CONTAINER, AND HAVING AN INFLATABLE CHAMBER, (B) A BRIDGE MEMBER FORMED AT ITS ENDS FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION ACROSS SAID END WALL OF A CONTAINER ON WHICH SAID SHELL MAY BE PLACED, (C) SAID MEMBER HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID END WALL AT SAID APERTURE FOR CONNECTING A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID CHAMBER AND TO THE INTERIOR OF A CONTAINER ON WHICH SAID MEMBER IS SECURED, AND FOR MAINTAINING THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER UNDER GASEOUS PRESSURE AND FOR DISPENSING SAID BEVERAGE FROM SAID CONTAINER IN SELECTED INCREMENTS. 